Preteen Cat
by Werecat Dipper
Summary: Like the title says. T for possible character death and I doubt it but possible cursing. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

Dipper yawned and sat up from bed, stretching out his arms. Across the room, he saw Mabel, her body slumped on her bed, the blanket slowly rising after every breath. The sun was shining brightly through the window as Dipper slipped out of bed. He got dressed before gently prodding Mabel.

"Wake up. Mabel. Mabel. C'mon. Wake up.", he grumbled dully until her eyes burst open and she jumped up.

"What? Who's- Oh hey, Dipper!", she chirped before lying back down. "I'm not ready to get up. Don't bother me anymore!"

Dipper blinked at her in confusion. SHe sure was grumpy today. Shrugging it off, he started downstairs. Gruncle Stan had not yet woken up so he went into the living room, found the remote hidden in the cushions that made up his great uncle's arm chair, and flicked on the TV before sitting down to watch it.

"This time on... DUCTECTIVE, Ducktective, or, "Duck", as he now prefers to be called, goes after Steve, his penguin colleague."

Dipper blinked, "I don't understand why I'm addicted to this show."

For a while, he continued watching the drama filled saga until boredom took over. This was, after all, a rerun. He changed to the Oregon News, since Gravity Falls didn't have their own news channel.

"Morning Samantha!", a tall man dressed in a black suit happily said. He was seated on a bright red couch that wrapped around a table with two laptops.

"Good Morning, Dustin!", the gorgeous women with long brown hair replied and she sat besides him.

"So today on the news, we'll be talking about a car chase that took place near Curiosity Hill, an adorable baby, and much, much more!"

Dipper sighed, nothing more but the usual. He was about to change the channel when the man spoke.

"But first, we'll discuss the weird sightings witnessed in Gravity Falls!"

Dipper dropped the remote and stumbled to the floor. His eyes widened.

"That's right! They saw the weirdest _monster_ running around out there!", the women almost seemed to be speaking to him.

"Many are saying it looked like a huge, albino mountain lion but there's more to this creepy case. The creature was seen running through the outskirts of Gravity Falls. It had long white fur and often traveled similarly to a large cat but was also seen one it's back legs! What is this monster? Maybe the world will never know but we did get some footage and footprints!"

A video flashed on. In the background, the man and woman continued to talk but Dipper ignored them. It appeared to be from inside a house, looking out the backdoor where an odd cat like thing was clawing about, sniffing underneath grass and leaves. It had a human like body but it's strong back legs were debatable of what they looked like they belonged from. It had long fingers with claws at the tip. After a few moments, it disappeared into the forest.

"Wow, now did you see the way those legs were shaped?", the women asked.

"Certainly, Sam! They were like springs!"

"That's exactly what I was thinking!"

"Now here's the footprints!"

A picture appeared on the screen. The foot prints were human looking at first before Dipper realized he could see where fur had been molded into it, as well as pads and claws.

"Whoa...", Dipper muttered.

"Well, those certainly are scary. Now, let's get to that car chase!"

Dipper sighed and rolled his eyes before turning off the TV. He started towards the kitchen where he fetched a bowl from one of the cupboards and managed to jump barely high enough to snag a cereal box. It tumbled to the ground and he picked it up and placed it on the table along with the bowl. Then he poured the cereal into the bowl and opened the fridge, taking out the milk which he poured in next. He put it back and finally got a spoon and began to eat.

After about five minutes, Mabel pushed through the door. Dipper wordlessly pushed the box towards the next seat over where she usually sat.

"What, no bowl?", Mabel asked.

Dipper rolled his eyes and got up, getting her a bowl. "Happy?", he asked with a smirked.

"I require a spoon and the milk. And then you have to prepare it too.", she replied, giggling.

"Nope.", he responded, sitting back down and continuing to eat.

"The service here is terrible.", Mabel remarked, getting herself a spoon and the milk.

"I only work for tips."

"I'm broke."

"I assumed that much."

Mabel sat down besides him, pouring the cereal, and then the milk. By the time she had began to eat, Dipper was finished with his fill and he went towards the bathroom. He poured the contents of the bowl into the toilet, flushed it, then came back in where he put the bowl and spoon in the sink. He took the milk that was on the table and put it back in the fridge.

"Guess what.", he finally said.

Mabel mumbled something intelligible through her crunching.

"I'll take that was a 'what'.", he continued, "There's some weird monster running around town."

Mabel shrugged, "Ro?"

"The news got footage of it!"

Mabel's eyes widened and she took a spit-take, covering Dipper with milk and chunks of cereal. He blinked, brushing his arm roughly against his face in an attempt to wash some off.

"I'm gonna go get a towel.", Dipper grumbled. He went back to the bathroom, this time coming back with a worn cloth. Dipper washed the majority of the milk and cereal off before going back upstairs.

"This isn't gonna work.", he called down to Mabel. "I'm taking a shower."


	2. Chapter 2

When Dipper was finished taking his shower, he went back downstairs and hung out with Mabel for a little while, discussing the whole, "Sightings" thing.

"So albino is like, all white (this is literally not racist in anyway, how do you describe a black cat or a white cat?) and stuff?", Mabel asked.

Dipper nodded, "Yea. But I don't think this thing was albino, I think that was just the color of it! I'd show you the video but you know, Mom and Dad took our phones."

Mabel nodded, "Mmhm. So what _can_ it be?"

"I've already been debating that. Before Gruncle Stan took my journal, I read about werewolves but this was definitely not half wolf! It was half cat! But there were a few similarities... Ugh! Why did Stan have to take the book anyway? I could really use it at a moment like this!"

Mabel frowned, "I know! Oh well, he'll probably give it back _eventually_, right?"

Dipper looked away, "Yea, I guess."

"Hey, Knuckleheads, get your lazy butts up and ready for work.", a gruff, old voice said and Gruncle Stan came in, a rolled up newspaper in his hands.

Dipper blinked before pointing at the paper, "Hey, Gruncle Stan, can I see that?"

Stan blinked at Dipper before batting him on the head with the rolled up thing. "No."

Dipper yelped and covered his head with his arms. "Ok, ok, sorry! Geeze, I just asked."

"Asking is one of the worse things you can do, Kid. Now get outta here.", he grumbled, getting himself a coffee mug from one of the higher cupboards.

Dipper and Mabel both got up from the table and went into the gift shop. Mabel flipped the sign to the side that said, "Buy Stuff, We're Open!". The other side said, "Go away. I own ten guns."

"Gruncle Stan is so creative some times.", Mabel remarked as Dipper grabbed a broom and began sweeping.

Dipper snorted, "That's funny, it almost sounded like you said Gruncle Stan is creative."

"I did?", Mabel rumbled.

"I'm being sarcastic, Mabel.", Dipper paused, holding the broom stilly in his hands.

"And?"

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Forget it.", he mumbled as he continued to sweep the floor.

"Whatever you say, Bro Bro.", Mabel shrugged as she started unloading some box's and neatly placing merchandise onto the numerous shelves that lined the gift shop.

After a few moments, the first costumer came in. Immediately, Mabel started towards the cash register but Stan's bat like hearing caught the sound of the little bell wring from all the way in the other room and he called out, "Don't let Mabel do register duty again!"

Dipper shot her a look and she muttered something that had the words, "Cheap" and "Hobo" in it. With that, Dipper placed the broom down against the wall and sat at the stool near behind the register.

The customer was a sleek young women with darting eyes. She had a large suitcase and big, swaying hips.

"Hey, you!", she snipped, looking at Dipper.

Dipper looked confused and slightly nervous. He lowered his gaze a bit. "Yes?"

She got closer till she was right at his side and he was flinching away, feeling a bit frightened of the outgoing women. In a whisper, she asked, "Seen anything weird around here, lately?"

Normally, Dipper would be happy to explain his theories and everything he'd seen so far in Gravity Falls but... this women was making him awfully uncomfortable.

With his mouth running dry, he quietly whispered, "No Miss... I haven't."

The women stepped away, seeming kind of bored with him now. "Oh."

Mabel perked up, "Wait, but Dipper, what about the gno-"

"Nose hairs? You mean Gruncle Stan's nose hair's? Yea, they certainly were weird, heh heh...", Dipper interrupted, making a "zip your mouth shut!" motion with his hands.

Mabel shrugged and went back to her work. The women, clearly uninterested, picked up a Mystery Shack license plate, "What is this junk?", she snapped. "I found more buyable stuff in a dump!"

"Yep, we certainly got a lot of useless stuff," Dipper laughed, "and we wouldn't want to waste your time, now would we?"

"Yes we do!", Stan called from the other room but he was ignored.

"So maybe you should just, you know, leave?", Dipper almost seemed to beg.

The women eyed him carefully before placing the license plate back in the little basket she'd taken it from. "Fine. I can tell when I'm not wanted.", she paused, "I learned from it happening a lot, can you imagine why?", she shook her head, refocusing herself, "Just listen, Kiddo, don't go into the woods. And that's a warning,", she looked up to see if anyone was listening but the gift shop was fairly empty besides Mabel who wasn't paying attention, Dipper and the women. "because I can see it in your eyes, your the curious type who wanders through strange forests but trust me, if your as smart as you look, you'll heath my warning and do exactly as I say."

Dipper vigorously nodded, "Yes 'Mam.", he was compelled to say, intimidated by the pushiness the women showed. With that, she wordlessly left.

Dipper stared at the door in confusion. "Well that was-"

"Strange.", Mabel finished his sentence. "What did she want anyway?"

Dipper opened his mouth to speak but Stan walked in, chugging a can of Pitt Cola down. "Never mind. I'll tell you later.", Dipper said, looking away.

Mabel nodded in understanding.

"Ugh, where's Wendy? And Soos for that matter? I don't expect much from Wendy and I'd fire her if I could but her dad really scares me... but Soos?"

Dipper shrugged.

Just then, both of the late employee's burst through the door.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Pines! I got caught up with stuff!", Soos frantically cried.

"Well do it again, and your fired.", Stan threatened but Dipper knew well enough that this was simply bluff and Stan would never fire his most loyal worker.

"Ok! I won't! I promise!", Soos replied.

Stan turned to Wendy, "And what's your excuse."

Wendy reached into the cooler and took out a soda. She lifted the tab on the top of the can and took a sip before leaning against the wall, one leg resting over the other. "I had to babysit my brothers."

Stan raised an eyebrow and didn't look away.

"Ok, fine, I don't have an excuse."

Glaring, Gruncle Stan turned away. "Don't do it again.", with that, Stan walked into his office.

Wendy pushed a stool besides Dipper and sat down on it. "How's it going?", she took another sip of the Pitt Cola.

Dipper shrugged, "You know, some crazy women came in here. There was a weird cat humanoid thing sighting. The usual."

Wendy's eyes bulged and she spit out the soda in her mouth. It hit Dipper who tightly shut his eyes.

"Aw, really? That's the second time today.", he paused, "Not that I'm blaming you or anything, Wendy, heh heh..."

Wendy ignore him, "Aw, Dude, I'm sorry... I think I'm gonna have to bail on you! Can you take over my job for a bit?"

"Yes, of course! I'd do anything for y- I mean... the good of the Shack! Yea... that works...", he looked away shyly.

"Hmm?", Wendy asked.

"Nothing! Nothing... I um... you go, I can totally take over your job for... how long is this?"

Wendy bit her lip. "Possibly the whole day?"

Dipper looked a bit concerned but nodded. "Yea... sure, ok."

Filled to the brim with gratitude, Wendy pecked the boy on the cheek, sending waves of pleasant shock through him. He dreamily swayed on the stool as Wendy shot out of the building before falling down and landing on the ground with a yelp.

* * *

?i ma esle ohW


	3. Chapter 3

Dipper remained working for five more hours. By the end of the day he was exhausted but he didn't go up to the attic to rest. Instead, he started towards the door.

"Where are you going, Dipper?", a voice said and he spun around to see Mabel.

Dipper smiled in excitement. "I'm gonna find that werecat! Do you wanna come?"

Mabel looked away and rubbed her arm, "Grenda and Candy are kinda coming over and... yea... I have to wait for them."

Dipper lowered his head and sighed dejectedly. "Oh... ok... I'll be in the woods if you need me, alright?"

Mabel smiled, "Yea... ok! Maybe we'll all join you later!"

Dipper thought for a moment about three annoying girls bouncing around him, "You know what, it's alright, I think I'll be perfectly fine!"

Mabel shrugged, "Your loss.", she skipped away, leaving Dipper to watch before turning and walking out the door.

Dipper pushed through the bush's at the end of thee forest and began to pick his way about, struggling past spindly branch's a thick bush's. He soon found a spring which he began to follow due to the lack of foliage.

The stream of water made a beautiful trickling sound that was unusually loud. Dipper found it hard to hear everything around him but he didn't mind. It was rather calming if anything.

Something stopped him though; on the ground, muddy paw prints lied trailing from the river and into the brush. His jaw dropped and he grinned with excitement, racing over to them to examine them.

He kneeled down, finding a bright orange tuft of fur. He picked up and felt it, it was soft and velvety between his fingers. He stuffed it into his pocket for further examination.

"I thought it was white!", he exclaimed, "Maybe there's more than-"

Dipper grew silent as he heard a low, threatening growl. He slowly turned around, his eyes wide with terror. At the other side of the spring was a large white creature. It looked like a mountain lion but it's face was flatter than it should have been and it's eyes were pink. It took another step forward, it's muddy paw just at the edge of the stream. It's tail lashed. It stiffened, lowering, ready to pounce. Dipper stumbled back, unsure whether he should make a noise or not.

With one finale wiggle of it's haunch, it flew forward, claws outstretched. Dipper couldn't even scream as it threw him against a tree with a grunt. He covered his face as it roared, its large paw turning over so his stomach, chest and throat were exposed.

"No, no, no!", Dipper sharply cried as it lunged forward at his neck. He barely moved to the side, his throat avoiding the sharp fangs but his shoulder was less fortunate.

He screamed in agony as it bit down. There was a horrible cracking noise as his bone's splintered in the creatures jaws and his flesh became splayed and red from blood. He struggled, trying to tear the violent creature off himself. It only made his arm ach more and he fell limp, whimpering as tears streamed down his cheeks.

All of a sudden, a reddish blur shot from the bush's, throwing the white cat off him with a painful grunt. It was another cat, this one as ginger as a fox. It snarled at the white one who stumbled back in surprise, much smaller than the red one. The white one hissed, it's fur spiking in fear. The red one took a step forward, it's claws sharped than the whites. It pounced, digging it's teeth into the white one's leg. The white one squealed and wriggled, trying to break free.

Finally, the red one let go and the white one limped quickly into the woods but not before turning and eyeing Dipper, a sorta cat grin on it's muzzle. Then is it was gone.

The red cat approached Dipper who had sunken to the ground, his body trembling from terror and blood loss. There was a shocked, sympathetic look on it's face but Dipper was to scared and confused to see it. He tried to drag himself away from the red cat but she gently took the back of his dark scarlet shirt in its fangs, grimacing at the metallic tang. Dipper didn't struggle, it hurt to much, but he was sure the red cat was dragging him away to it's den where it'd kill him without a second thought.

Before long, Dipper found himself unable to keep his eyes open and he drifted off into sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Dipper's face twitched and he scrunched up his nose before opening his eyes. His shoulder was numb except for a slight stinging. He was being a dragged. He groaned and closed his eyes again, falling back into darkness.

* * *

The next time Dipper's eyes opened, he was lying in a soft bed with a few needles in his wrist. His arm was still numb, even the stinging had ceased. There was a strange, slow beeping noise...

Beep... beep... beep...

'It's a heart monitor...', he thought.

"He's awake! He's awake!", a voice broke the calming rhythm of the monitor and it began to beep faster. A man in a white coat appeared over him. "Son, can you hear me?"

Dipper didn't reply for a moment, struggling to process what he had said, "Err... yes?", he flinched at the croaking noise that was his voice.

He waved his hands in Dipper's face and the boy closed his eyes instinctively. There was a sigh of relief.

"How many fingers?", the man asked, holding up his hand.

Dipper thought for a moment, "Three, the thumb isn't a finger."

There was a chuckle, "Your a smart kid, ya know that? And lucky too. We were sure it was too late a few times."

Dipper tried to sit up but found his arm extremely heavy. He didn't have the strength yet anyway.

"That's a big cast, I'd stay down. Good to see you recovering so fast, though.", the man said, "I'm Doctor Mitchel, by the way." The man was tall and skinny with short black hair and slightly dark skin.

"How long have I been-", Dipper started.

"Four days. The first two were torture, you've really got a lot of fight in you."

Dipper bit his lip. "Um... what happened?"

Doctor Mitchel looked away, "We don't exactly know, I mean, some giant beast tried to kill you but God knows what it was. And we don't know why, either. It just left you there, tell me, Mr. Pines, did you provoke something in the woods?"

Vague memories came flooding back, but the attack seemed somewhat clear if anything. He remembered the heart stopping growl, how the beast lunged for his throat... the pain... everything else was a blur after that. "No, Sir.", Dipper shook his head.

The doctor sighed, "Very lucky, indeed. I couldn't imagine why it didn't eat you."

"Excuse me but... who found me?", Dipper asked.

Doctor. Mitchel perked. "Oh, that's easy. Miss. Wendy Corduroy."

Dipper's eyes widened, "Really?"

The man nodded, "Yea."

There was a knock on the door and Doctor Mitchel smiled.

"Come in!"

The door swung open and a small, colorful shape shot in.

"Dipper!", Mabel's voice shrieked and suddenly Dipper couldn't breath, his chest being squeezed tightly in a bear hug. The heart monitor quickened as he silently panicked and struggled.

At the same time, Dipper felt ecstatic, "Mabel...!"

"Oh my gosh, Dipper,", Mabel broke away, staring him directly in the eyes, "Don't you do that to me ever again! I thought you were gonna... You know..."

Dipper smiled at her, "I'm here now though, aren't I?"

Mabel looked at Dipper's heavily bandaged arm. "Does that hurt? It looks like it hurt... I saw pictures of your arm before they fixed it, that had to hurt!"

Dipper shook his head.

"He's on antibiotics, his arm is numb.", Doctor Mitchel said.

"Oh... I guess that's kinda good... Dipper, did you see all the stuff you got? I guess almost dying has its perks! I wanna do it next!", Mabel grinned.

"No, you don't.", Dipper said, turning to where Mabel was looking.

In the corner of the room were flowers, candy, balloons, and much more including a giant, white persian cat plushy. "Is that some type of sick joke?", the boy muttered.

Mabel shrugged. "I wish I could have it!", she shot up to it, grabbing the giant plushy and squeezed its fluffy cheeks. "IT'S SO CUTE!"

Dipper shrugged, "You can have it, I don't need it."

"OMG! THANK YOU DIPPER!", Mabel squealed, dragging it off the pile of presents and hugging it tightly.

Dipper smiled, "No problem Ma-"

He grew silent as the door opened once again, fiery torrent of hair stepping into the room.

* * *

**HA! YOU THOUGHT I WOULDN'T UPDATE BUT YOU WERE WRONG!**


	5. Chapter 5

Dipper gasped, his jaw dropping. "W-Wendy? What are you...?"

"Just wanted to check on ya, Dork.", she gave a warm smile but Dipper could see her eyes were clouded with worry, grief and shock as well as much more.

"Well, I'll just leave you three here, mk?", Doctor Mitchel said and left the room.

Dipper tried to grin back at her, "Hey, are you... ok?"

Wendy didn't reply for a while and bit her lip, "Yes... Look... I've gotta go... I just... if anything weird starts happening, you can always talk to me. Ok? Promise me?"

Dipper blinked, then nodded.

Wendy sighed and walked out, closing the door behind her without a word.

For a few moments, nobody talked.

"Awwwww...", Mabel's voice cut through the silence.

Dipper spun around to meet her gaze, "Wh- what?"

"She cares about you!", Mabel squeaked, pushing her cheeks up to make her smile bigger.

Dipper rolled his eyes, then gasped, "Wait... you're right! She did! Oh my God! She actually likes me!", he paused, "Well... maybe not like that..."

Mabel giggled and sat down on his bed, "Oh, Dipper, don't get too far ahead of yourself. You are wearing a dress, after all."

Dipper's eyes widened and he looked down, only to groan in exasperation. "Really?", Mabel laughed loudly, "It's a hospital gown! Shut up!"

Mabel's giggled only quieted a little and Dipper turned away with a huff.

"Oh cheer up, Brother, at least you're still alive!", Mabel chirped.

Dipper moaned, "Yea, and I feel like I just got hit by a train!"

Mabel poked him on his cheek, rewarding her with a hiss of inpatients. Mabel leaped back, "Whoa...", she began to chuckle once more, "What in the hey-hey was that?"

Dipper covered his mouth in surprise. "I... I'm not even sure!", he murmured, pulling away his hands, "I couldn't even stop it from happening, I just... hissed!"

Mabel's eye twitched, "Well, it's official, you've gone insane.", she yawned, "We all saw this day coming where you'd just snap, ya know?"

Dipper glared, "No, I didn't! I just... I dunno...", he again, emitted a low moan, this one more out of stress than anything.

Mabel patted his back. "Don't worry, you're probably just tired. When I'm tired, I'm weird too... well, not really but all people are different... except you're never really all that weird but... hmmm... maybe it's a faze?"

Dipper didn't reply. "Mabel... I'm getting kinda tired...", he muttered.

Mabel lied down next to him, "Already? You just woke up!"

Dipper yawned, "I've had a somewhat long... ten or twenty minutes."

Mabel sighed and slid off the bed, "Alright, fine. Good night except it's still daytime, Dipper."

* * *

**Dumb chapter is dumb.**


	6. Chapter 6

Dipper groaned and stretched, taking a minute to open his eyes. He slipped out of bed with a yawn.

He'd left the hospital about a week ago and lost his cast four days before after his arm healed mysteriously fast. He didn't question why. Normally he would have but lately he'd been feeling different. Somethings's weren't worth asking about, these days.

His head buzzed and he stumbled a little. Downstairs, he could hear the TV and Mabel talking to Gruncle Stan. That was another thing. Dipper normally woke up before his sister but lately he'd woken up later. He also went to bed much later than usual. Although it wasn't out of the ordinary for him to beat his sister in staying up on normal nights, he found himself less and less tired as the sun went down. He shook his head, he'd worry about that later, right now he felt starved.

He took his vest from the closet and put it on, covering the scar on his shoulder from the attack. Then he picked up his hat from the bedpost. Dried blood was smeared at the seams and splattered on the edge of it. Sighing, he put it on his head. No matter how bad it looked, it made him feel safer. He'd been through so much with it and couldn't get rid of it now due to a little stain.

The boy started downstairs, pulling the attic door shut behind him. Mabel was in the kitchen and a pleasant smell was wafting from the room, dragging Dipper towards it, his mouth watering. He peeked inside to see his sister, her back facing him, mixing something cream colored in a bowl.

_Pancake batter... I just hope Mabel doesn't burn down the kitchen this time! _Dipper pushed open the swinging door and stepped in. "Morning, Mabel."

Mabel spun around to look at him. "Hey Dipstick! What's up?"

Dipper yawned, "Nothing.", he sat on a chair. "Does Gruncle Stan know what you're doing? He may not approve because of last time."

Mabel glared, "Ugh, why can't people just forget about that. I only burned the kitchen down once but apparently that's like, a giant deal! Seriously!"

"Mabel, burning down the kitchen _is_ a giant deal." Dipper replied, rolling his brown eyes.

The girl scoffed and looked away, ignoring him as she continued to mix the batter.

Stan walked in, smiling, and stretched, a rolled up newspaper in his hands. "Ugh... Morning, Knuckleheads..."

Dipper bit his lip and turned to Mabel, "Oh no, he's happy... whenever he's happy something bad happens..."

Mabel cringed, "Like when we got banned from-"

"The lake...", the boy finished.

Stan eyed them carefully, "What, are you undercover?" when neither twin responded he took in a deep breath. His eyes flashed when he saw the pancake batter. "Mabel! No cooking! What about last time?"

Mabel seethed, "I ONLY BURNT THE KITCHEN DOWN _ONCE_! Why does everyone keep going on about that? ONE TIME, you burn a kitchen down while making pancakes and- BOOM- you're a monster bent on destroying the world! Sheesh!"

Dipper sighed and covered his ears, finding her whining quite painful. "I'm going upstairs...", he muttered, slipping off his chair and starting upstairs.

He stalked up the stairs and into his room. A ray of sunlight streamed across the floor and as he walked through it, he suddenly felt... incredibly... calm...

A moment later, he found himself on the floor, rolling in the glorious heat the sun so generously gifted him. His mind burned in embarrassment and he wanted to get up and forget what had happened but the sun felt so good! What was he in such a hurry for? With his mind made up-and slightly drunk from the amazing warmth- he half closed his eyes and began to drift off, a contented smile on his face.

It was so nice... so warm... ohh... he felt terribly woozy... He-

"Dipper? What the hey-hey are you doing?"

The boy leaped up, a scream of some sort escaping his lips. Panting, his eyes met with Mabel. "What? What are you doing... what?"

Mabel's eye twitched. "What the heck was that? You were rolling around like a cat!"

Dipper felt his cheeks heat up as he blushed. "I.. I couldn't help myself! It felt really good!"

Mabel tilted her head. "Really?", her eyes lit up, "Ok! Lemme try!"

Dipper stepped out of his sisters way and she shot past, slipping into the wonderful rays. Dipper felt a bit of jealousy churn in his stomach but remained silent. The girl smiled, facing the window. "Ready!... Uh... I said, 'Ready!'... Um... It's... Dipper, the sun is broken."

Dipper facepalmed, then sighed. "Ok... maybe it just doesn't work for some people?"

Mabel shrugged. "Well, it sure is a big disappointment.", she slunk out of the light.

Immediately, Dipper shot into the golden rays. His eyes rolled back in ecstasy. Everything after that was a blur...

Until Mabel shook him into reality where he lied on the ground. He didn't know how he got there... all he knew was he was in bliss.

"Ok... Dipper... don't freak out... but... you're cray-cray.", He was dragged out of the sun and he shook his head, still feeling a bit dizzy. Shooting her a glare, he retorted:

"No I'm not!"

She sighed. "Come on... Gruncle Stan wants us. He called us while you were purring and rolling around on the ground and apparently" she made finger quotation marks, "not being crazy."

Dipper bit back an angry reply and got up, giving a remorseful glance at the ray of sunlight before starting downstairs.

* * *

**Jeez, it's been a while... well, I'm back! And here's the newest chapter to _Preteen Cat_!**


	7. Chapter 7

Gruncle Stan handed Dipper a broom. "Get to work. And Mabel, I want to you heighten the sales, got it, Kid?"

From besides him, Mabel nodded. Dipper didn't say anything but sighed as he began to sweep the floor.

He sweeped a pile of dust and other things into a mound and then started on the other side of the room.

"You're really grumpy today, Dipper! You're like... ohh! Crabby Kitty!", Mabel chirped as she took a marker from behind the desk the cash register was on. She began adding zero's to the backs of numbers.

Dipper jerked and held his ears with a cry. "Jeez, Mabel! Do you have to be so loud?"

Mabel tilted her head. "But this is... this is how I always talk, Dipper!"

He groaned and slowly removed his hands from his head. "You sound a whole lot louder to me!"

Mabel looked hurt. "Why are you being so mean all of a sudden? You always yell and stuff! Stop!", she cried.

Dipper sharply cried and covered his ears again, whimpering. "Mabel! Stop!"

"No! I've had enough! Stop being such a jerk!", she pouted, dropping the marker and stalking towards him.

Dipper spun around and shot out of the gift shop, feeling as if his ears were bleeding. He rain up to the attic and didn't even bat an eye when he went through the calming ray of sunlight. Instead and lied down in his bed, pulling the covers over his head and curling up, his trembling hands over his ears. For a few moments he stayed like that, absolutely terrified his sister would come up too and continue her painful nagging but she didn't. Eventually, his shaking stopped and he peeked out from his blanket.

He put a leg off the bed to begin to get off, only for a sharp pain to shoot through his head causing him to fall down, shuddering. "Mabel...", he muttered in a raspy voice. He needed help. He tried to claw his way up but the agony was numbing and to move made an odd and severe prickling feeling go through his body, ending with him weakly crying out and falling to the ground yet again.

Hurting badly, he began to feel bile rising in his throat. He closed his mouth quickly but he couldn't stop himself from puking out the contents of his almost empty stomach as well as a dark reddish liquid with black chunks in it. He grimaced, hoping the red stuff wasn't what he thought it was and managed to push himself back in disgust.

The next pain was the worst yet, excruciating, and not allowing him to scream out. He felt his back bone bending and morphing agonizingly. He opened his mouth to scream only to find he couldn't. Tears streamed down from his tightly shut eyes as his skin stretched. He splayed out his arms and legs and his fingers curled painfully. He felt his teeth ach and a throbbing pain began in his eyes. His nails burned and he curled up now.

He didn't hear the door open and barely heard the frantic cries that followed.

Something began to shake him and as they did, the pain began to drift away but he wasn't at all sure whether is was because of the person.

"Dipper! Come on! Please!", at first he thought it was Mabel due to the female voice. But then he was turned over and as his sight began to clear, he realized it was Wendy.

"What...?", he managed to croak, his voice slurring. "What happened?" His mouth felt dry to the point that he thought his tongue may crack.

Wendy looked horrified. "Oh, Dipper... the change doesn't usual happen this fast!"

Dipper felt her arms cradling him but was too weak to pull away. "Change?", he whispered.

She stood, gently pulling Dipper up so he was standing. She led him to the bathroom, he was leaning against her the whole time.

"Dipper... look in the mirror, ok?", Wendy murmured.

Dipper lifted his head and with half closed eyes. At first, nothing seemed extraordinarily different but... then he saw his ears. They weren't... his ears, the were large and furry like a cats'. He screamed and stumbled back, falling to the ground, his back pressed against the wall. He covered his mouth in shock. Dipper gave Wendy a stressed gaze and she sighed.

"Ok, look, Dip... remember the attack?", she mumbled.

He slowly nodded, his eyes not becoming any less wide.

"Well... remember the red cat that saved you?"

Dipper thought for a moment. What red cat? But now that se mentioned it... yes, he vaguely remembered a tall, red furred cat. He nodded again.

"Well... Dipper, that was me. I heard your scream and I came... I'm a werecat... and the cat that bit you... they were one too.", Wendy said.

Dipper was quiet for a few minutes. Then:

"So... I'm one too?"

Now Wendy nodded, "Yea..."

Dipper groaned and held his head, "This can't be happening..."

Wendy hung her head "The first change usually doesn't happen so quickly. Did you notice I've been hanging around you more often since the attack?"

Dipper blinked. It had never occurred to him she had but... yes, it was true. She had often hung out at the Mystery Shack and even asked for overtime at some point. "Now that I think about it... oh man... what am I gonna tell Mabel?"

Wendy bit her lip, "Good luck, with that, Dude. If you ask me, I'd say don't say a word to her yet."

Dipper nodded in agreement.

"Don't say a word about what?", a new voice spoke.


End file.
